Country kitchens have always been popular, and the following ideas will help you decorate in today's more rustic styles. If you enjoy visiting flea markets, craft stores and antique shops, then a country-style kitchen might be for you. The following ideas will help you transform an institutional-looking kitchen into a down-home, all-American paradise.
Twine-wrapped or themed cabinet handles
Adding distressed-looking cabinet handles is a popular kitchen update, but consider also wrapping the handles in twine for a more rugged, utilitarian look. If chickens are your theme, you can get cabinet handles that are shaped like roosters or hens.
Farmhouse accessories
Accessories such as a spice rack or fruit basket that are made of chicken wire will help define your kitchen as pure country. You can also replace glass inserts on cabinet doors with some sort of poultry wire to make a bold rustic statement. Roosters and hens are an ever-popular kitchen icon, so it will be easy to find towels and potholders if poultry is your farmhouse focus. Wooden trays, tin buckets and metal jugs fit perfectly within the farmhouse theme. Perhaps a sign that reads, "FARM FRESH EGGS," can complete the look.
Wooden signs
Wooden signs are all the rage and are a great way to express your personal style. Whether the sign is advertising five-cent bottles of milk or contains a song lyric or Scripture verse, wooden signs are easy to find and will go great with just about any country décor.
Mason jars
Nothing says country like drinking sweet tea out of a mason jar, and it will be easy to find a vast array of accessories centered around the mason jar theme. Mason jar salt and pepper shakers, candles inside of mason jars, and even mason jar chandeliers are becoming increasingly popular. A red gingham tablecloth will help complete this particular country look.
Hanging pans and kitchen tools
Displaying a mish-mash of old pots and pans will give your kitchen that old-fashioned, no-nonsense look. This is not the time to buy an expensive matching set. Instead, piece together a collection of related objects that somehow have something in common. Consider using the tines of an old rake as a hanger for large spoons and other kitchen tools. Be creative about re-purposing various metal and wooden items for use in your country kitchen.
Antiques
Include at least one true antique as an interesting focal point to hang on the wall in your country kitchen. This can be an old hand mixer, a wagon wheel, or even a rusty horseshoe. Collecting a certain category of related items will give you something fun to keep your eye out for while shopping. For example, you could hang a display of antique cheese graters.
Country-style restaurants are a great place to get ideas for decorating in a rustic way. Switching over to a country motif need not cost a lot of money. Today's country kitchens are a way to showcase flea market and thrift store finds as well as homemade crafts.